Update: Police praise bravery of Fakenham knife-point robbery victim

Police have praised the bravery of a woman who twice refused to hand over a social club’s Saturday night takings to a burglar who assaulted her, and only relented when he pulled out a knife.

The Press Club in Fakenham

The attack at The Press Club in Fakenham left the victim, who lives in the town, with bruising around her left eye, and although her injuries were not serious she was said to be “shaken”.

Police said the robber, who was armed with a small knife, did not use force to enter the Oak Street venue at about 9.30am yesterday, and got away with hundreds of pounds from the safe and till.

DC Steve Hunt said: “A male has entered the premises and forced her to remove money from the safe and assaulted her in the process of doing that.

“Initially she resisted and said she was not going to do that and was assaulted for her trouble.

“She still resisted and said ‘I’m not going to do it’, and I believe at that point he pulled out a weapon, at which point she quite sensibly said I think I will do that. He also took money from the till.

“It’s an early-morning incident in a rural Norfolk town where you do not expect this sort of thing to happen.

“It’s a nasty incident because they have used violence to get what they want and they are not afraid to use direct violence on a vulnerable lone female.”

Police have released an image of a man they want to question about the attack. He is described as in his 40s, thinish and wearing a black woolly hat, black leather jacket and black leather gloves.

Detectives from Norwich CID want to speak to anyone who may have seen anything or anyone suspicious in the area at the time. Contact DC Hunt at Bethel Street police station on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.